Hughes, Hauck looking forward to giving back
MINOT, N.D. – Addyson Hughes and Faith Hauck believe in creating connections.
For two biology majors looking toward careers in the medical field, it is no surprise that they value the guidance and relationships they find in and out of the classroom at Minot State University.
“You have a community backing you and you feel really supported here,” said Hauck. “That’s one of my favorite things — connecting with the people in my classes.”
“You know you have that support here at Minot, which is really important,” echoed Hughes. “You just find those people in your classes and it’s helpful to not be scared of talking to your professors, talking to your advisors. They want to help you.”
The 2021 high school graduates — Hauck from Minot High School and Hughes from Des Lacs-Burlington — are most excited to create that same level of relationship with their future patients.
“I want to go to medical school because of my passion for women’s health,” said Hauck. “I really like the education aspect behind it, and I want to be able to advocate for my patients.
“Working as a CNA on the fourth floor, surgical floor, I notice there’s a lot of people from reservations and rural communities that don’t have as much access to primary care as we do in Minot. I want to come back to North Dakota and work in these communities, to give people access to that care.”
“That’s why I’m also planning on coming back to North Dakota after optometry school,” said Hughes, who currently works with optometrist Dr. Jaime Haaland. “I’m excited to bring back that knowledge and experience to my home state. And with shortages in the medical field, I also want to bring that aspect of creating good patient-to-doctor connections.”
As shortages in the medical field continue to increase, the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota Caring Foundation is helping address this issue by offering scholarships to students enrolled in nursing or healthcare-related programs across the state.
Hauck and Hughes were two of the 26 students selected to receive a $2,500 Health Profession Scholarship for the 2022-2023 academic year.
“It’s one of the reasons I feel compelled to pursue a career in healthcare and help people,” said Hughes. “I really want to be that personal doctor, to take my time with every patient. I want to give back to my community.”
“Just from working at the hospital, I’ve seen how they have been more short staffed than they would like,” said Hauck. “And I’ve seen the important of a doctor sitting in front of their patients and connecting with them, even for a short amount of time.”
In addition to the level of support found on campus, the two have found other reasons to appreciate the University.
“I chose Minot State originally to play volleyball,” said Hughes. “Then I really liked the community aspect, that it’s close to home, it’s affordable, and there is a really great ratio of professors to students. I feel in bigger universities it can be a struggle to really connect with your professors and get that help if you need it.”
“And it is hard to get research experience at really big universities,” said Hauck. “I know I can get that here, which is great for medical school.
As for future students, the duo has their own wisdom to share.
“Go to the tutors. People think they have to be failing the class to go to a tutor,” said Hauck. “Addyson and I go to the tutors. You can have an A and still go, they are so helpful.”
“And don’t be afraid to talk to your professors. Talk to your advisors. We asked our professors for references for our scholarship. Which is another thing — it would be hard to do that at a bigger university because professors don’t personally know you. At Minot State they do.”
About Minot State University
Minot State University is a public university dedicated to excellence in education, scholarship, and community engagement achieved through
rigorous academic experiences, active learning environments, commitment to public service, and a vibrant campus life.
| Published: 12/02/22 |
